While Lemon was shivering and clearing away her lemonade,
Lydia and I were looting the corpse of the raider.
…Of course, it wasn’t like we were cutting off some limbs to sell as monster by-products.
That would be a bit deranged, don’t you think?
We simply set aside usable equipment or plunder their pockets, and maybe grab something that can identify who they were, just in case.
Even after sorting everything out, three backpacks were bursting at the seams. I could barely handle my own, so Lydia took care of all of them.
“Oh my. I think I understand why raiders do what they do. This is several times what we’ve earned so far, isn’t it?”
“…Jonah.”
“Hey, I’m just saying I get it, I’m not saying I want to become a raider, so don’t worry. …But how do we split this? You said I’d get whatever monster I take down, but this time it’s a bit different, isn’t it?”
“It’s the same. The raider I took down is my profit. The raider you took down is your profit.”
“Ah-ha?”
Gale’s equipment was pretty solid for someone who’s only active on the first floor. It’s only natural since we were hunting adventurers, not monsters.
Still, one downside was that I couldn’t directly use Gale’s gear.
Overall, it just didn’t fit my size at all. The armor was out of the question, and the one useful longsword was so heavy it compromised my speed, which is my strong suit.
Furthermore, why is this guy so obsessed with decoration? Instead of carrying a secondary weapon, he packed a bunch of cosmetics and accessories.
These aren’t artifacts. Just ordinary accessories. Necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, you name it. Just pretty bits of junk.
“Ah… how much would this sell for?”
“Is Jonah not interested in stuff like this?”
“I’m so good-looking that I don’t need makeup. And as for accessories… they’d have to be pretty expensive to match my aesthetic, you know?”
It’s not arrogance; I genuinely believe I have an impressively attractive appearance.
If this were the modern era instead of the medieval one, I’d probably be running a streaming channel cooking broth… or maybe I could just keep writing like I did in my past life.
“Pretty girl erotic author… what a glorious phrase.”
Well, for me, it’d be pretty boy, but anyway the important thing is that the modern world is a time when you can leverage looks as a weapon.
But what could I really do with my face in this Pan Continent?
Maybe be a bar ace, a seductress, if I’m lucky, maybe just a noble’s mistress.
…Wait. There’s one more thing.
I sidestepped in front of Lydia. Then I spun around, meeting her gaze while offering a wide grin.
That’s right. Instead of being used for my looks, I could use them myself. That’s my best weapon at the moment.
“What do you think?”
“Huh? What about it?”
“I’m talking about me. I might still look young and cute, but isn’t that a seriously handsome face?”
I tilted my head while poking my cheek with my finger. Even for me, this was a move that needed some guts.
Fortunately, it seemed effective. Lydia nodded seriously.
“…If you come at me like that, as much as I hate to admit it, you’re right.”
“But why isn’t Ellie falling for it? She seems quite stirred up…”
“Seriously? You really don’t know why?”
An exasperated Lydia started listing the reasons, counting on her fingers.
“First of all, there’s the age thing. To Ellie-senpai, Jonah is a target to protect, not a dating prospect.”
“That stings a bit. Knowing I can’t do anything about it makes it even worse.”
“Second, it’s the things you always say. When you mention body and wealth as your aim, women put their guard up. Especially since she’s a high-ranking adventurer with a lot to lose.”
“Ugh… I thought I was being as straightforward as possible. Am I coming off like that?”
Lemon and Apple pointed at Gale, who was being alternately carried by them. Since they healed him just enough so he wouldn’t die, they had no choice but to help him…
“…What are they doing right now?”
“Looks like they’re groping him stealthily. Mainly focusing on his butt and thighs.”
“Thought so.”
“That’s a bit troubling, touching someone else’s stuff without permission. That’s what it means to be a thug!”
“Uh… stuff?”
Lydia flinched slightly, but it wasn’t an incorrect statement.
In this world, raiders don’t get treated as human even when they’re alive. So right now, they’re technically my loot. It’s not weird for me to charge a usage fee.
I need to tell the guild members that nothing comes free!
“Anyway! Let’s get back to the main topic. Am I being treated like that by Ellie?”
“Not at all. Ellie-senpai believes you wouldn’t betray her. But… the longer a maiden is kept, the deeper the fantasy becomes, that’s unavoidable.”
“Ah. I get what you mean. The idea of wanting their first time to be just right, right?”
“Exactly! It’d be disgraceful if it was the other way around, right?”
“Hey, I think that’s nice. Plus, everyone has fantasies about their first time, regardless of gender.”
“…Really?”
Lydia seemed to brighten a bit. I stared at her slightly reddened cheeks and asked,
“Do you have any fantasies about your first time, Lydia?”
“Not really. I’m not as obsessed about it as Ellie-senpai.”
“Heh. I’ll ask you later for future reference, but what kind of fantasies do you have?”
“Well… Ah.”
Lydia stopped mid-sentence, narrowing her eyes and continuing in a mock stern voice.
“You can’t just ask that of anyone.”
“Aw, come on. You’re not just anyone, Lydia. You’re my second favorite after Ellie!”
For a moment Lydia was taken aback, but she then firmly shook her head.
“…But it’s still a no.”
“Just so you know, Ellie seems to like making a mess of guys and leaving bite marks all over.”
“How on earth do you know that…?”
She seemed ready to confront Ellie right then, so I quickly shook my head and added,
“I just noticed her room has the most books about that stuff.”
“Haah… Ellie-senpai…”
Lydia sighed while rubbing her forehead. She has a lot to say about this, but she’s holding back in front of me, which feels kind of nice.
Still, I don’t want to keep her too troubled, so I should change the subject soon.
“Since you don’t want to talk about it, let’s end that topic here. What’s the next reason?”
“The next? Ah, the third reason…”
Right when she was about to say it, Lydia clamped her mouth shut. After pondering for a while, she put on that gentle expression she often wears since our last date (forced).
“You already know, Jonah.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. You said it yourself last time. You still don’t really know what loving someone means.”
“…I think liking Ellie is appropriate.”
“And that’s the problem. Ellie-senpai worries that your feelings for her might not be pure love. You could realize it too late and regret it, and even without that, she wants Jonah to have normal happiness.”
“I get the gist, but there’s no need for concern.”
“It can’t be helped, since Ellie-senpai cares about you.”
“…….”
Hearing that made me feel a bit bashful.
Feeling my heart fluttering, I cleared my throat and gathered my thoughts.
“Let me summarize. So, Ellie is a coward about love, right?”
“…Huh?”
Lydia looked confused as I explained further.
“Just because someone’s a protective figure doesn’t mean they can’t be a romantic interest. She just lacks the courage to face her desires.”
“…You could end up getting caught if you touch that nerve, right? It’s a problem if it boils down to wanting your body and wealth.”
“Isn’t it perfectly natural to stake your life on acquiring a pretty boy like me? That’s just another case of lacking courage. Yeah, definitely.”
Conversely, if I thought I could get Ellie, I’d risk everything I have! Well, which isn’t much…
While nodding to myself, Lydia sighed dramatically, as if in disbelief.
“Haah… then what’s the last reason?”
“That love might not even exist? Well, I should’ve said something like I’d make them fall in love for real or that I’d make them happy!”
After I said that, Lydia sat there blankly for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“That’s such a Jonah answer!”
“Right? So remember it well, you can totally use it later.”
“And what am I supposed to do with that?”
“It’s my strategy, so it might come in handy someday, right?”
Maybe it’s because the only god left on the Pan Continent is the Goddess of Love, but this world is pretty lenient about romantic and sexual matters.
The fact that brothels aren’t illegal plays into that, and the population exploding in the last 1,000 years is another result.
Of course, there’s no law stating marriage or love has to be solely between one person. Even a married person can get a free pass for a dalliance, as long as all parties involved agree.
So, if I wanted to date both Ellie and Lydia simultaneously, I’d need permission from both of them to see multiple people.
In that sense, though I may not have much wealth, informing Lydia of my strategies feels beneficial on many levels…
“How much do you think Ellie-senpai would pay for my strategy? I’ve been looking for an Elven metal sword lately.”
“……You ought to give me half of the sales, just so you know?”
I guess my info seemed less valuable than a new weapon.
Feeling a bit awkward, I absentmindedly spun my arms to loosen up.
“By the way, Lydia. Can you help me out once the guild’s accounts settle?”
“What’s the matter?”
Maybe she saw me being all serious earlier. Lemon and Apple were whispering while glancing in our direction. I pointed toward them and explained my situation.
After some back and forth, “If all goes well, I might be able to pay you back for everything you’ve done!”
“Oh.”
Lydia’s expression suddenly turned cold.
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